Self-playing musical instrument and note-sheet therefor.



PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

0. A. sEAEEEE.

SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND NOTE SHEET THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1903.

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NO MODEL.

WITNESSES:

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PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

, c. A. SHAPFER. SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND NOTE SHEET THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21. 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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WITNESSES.-

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PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

I G.- A. SHAFFER. SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND NOTE SHEET THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1903. no MODEL.

No. 758,860. PAT'ENTED MAY 3, 1904.

G. A. SHAFFER. SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND NOTE SHEET THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1903. no 110mm. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4'.

WITNESSES: I in 51mm m 2% film! 04. fi I By Tron/(Er;

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Patented. May 3, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CHARLES A. SHAFFER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SELF-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUM ENT AND NOTE-SHEET THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,860, dated. May 3, 1904. Application filed July 21. 19Q3. $erial No. 1.66i450. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. SHAEFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-Playing Musical Instruments and Note-Sheets Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to self-playing musical instruments.

The objects of the invention are to automatically operate the keys or. strings of a musical instrument, to stop the-travel of the music-sheet at the end of a tune, and to automatically rewind the music-sheet at the end of its forward movement. I

The invention consists in the music-sheet, fingers contacting therewith, key-actuating devices,'feeding mechanism, stopping mechanism, reversing mechanism, and electric devices and circuits controlled by the musicsheet and controlling the key-actuating device and feeding, reversing, and stopping mechanism constructed, arranged, and combined as hereinafter described and claimed. 7

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fingers engaging the under side of-the notesheet. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections. Fig.6 is an 51 larged transverse sectional view of the notesheet. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively top and bottom plan views of the note-sheet.

a is the music or note sheet. The same consists of a body of metal, such as copper, having an insulated surface a on both sides. This insulated surface may be formed by coating the metal with a liquid non-conducting solution which hardens on setting or cooling, for which purpose a tough or brittle gum or varnish may be employed. 1 have found that a solution of commercial French varnish and alcohol is excellently adapted to the purpose.

The insulated surface may also be formed by treating the metal body with an acid, causing the surface of the metal to corrode and rendering it non-conducting. The insulated surface may also be formed by attaching a sheet of insulating material to the metal body. The insulating-surface on one side is scraped or cut off, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, to form the notes, these cut-away portions 1 corresponding to the perforations of an ordinary musicsheet. On the other side the insulating-surface is cut away to form one or more long continuous strips 2 2, a series of short cutaway portions 3 i 5, a cutaway portion 6 at one end of the end of the strip, and a cutaway portion 7 at the other end of the strip, all of which are adapted to be engaged by suitable fingers and to control the stopping and rewinding of the music-sheet as well as the operation of the keys or strings of the musical instrument, as will be fully described.

It will of course be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular way of forming the insulated or non-insulated portions of the sheet.

10 is the frame of the machine.

g is the removable music-sheet-holding spool or roll, and h the music-sheet receiving or take-up'spool or roll. The roll g, on which the sheet is wound when off the machine, is removably held in. place by the following means:

11 is a shaft turning in a bearing on one side of the machine-frame.

j is a stud longitudinally slidable in a bearing in the opposite side of the machine-frame and normally pressed inwardly by means of a spring is. The shaft and stud each have a conical head adapted to engage a conical depression in the end and on the line of the axis of the holding-roll g. It will be understood that the roll g may be readily and quickly inserted by seating one end of the roll on the end of shaft 1' and then moving it into substantially its operative position, the stud jfirst yielding outwardly and then springing inwardly into its seat at the other end of the roll, thus centering the roll, as well as securely holding it in position.

The shaft 11 is driven by mechanism to be described, and its motion of rotation is imparted to the roll g by means of a projection on on thisl shaft engaging an orifice or slot n in the ro The take-up roll it is held in place at the other end of the machine in the same Way that the holding-roll g is held in place, 0 representing the driven shaft, 0 the stud, and q and 7', respectively, the projection and orifice for imparting the rotation of shaft 0 to the roll. As the take-up rollneed not be removable, I prefer to provide the stud with ascrew-thread and screw the stud through a screw-threaded orifice in the frame instead of having it, like stud j, work loosely in and out.

When the holding-roll is placed in position, the music-sheet thereon is partially unwound by hand and the rings on the front end thereof slipped over the hook ton the take-up roll. The shaft 0 is engaged with its driving mechanism and the shaft z' disengaged from its driving mechanism (hereinafter fully described) and the music-sheet wound upon the tallre-up roll It and unwound from the holdingro l g.

I will now describe the contact-fingers that engage the cut-away portions of the musicsecuring the end of the music-sheet thereto.

The cut-away portions 1 are of course arranged like the perforations of an ordinary music-sheet, so that when any particular note is to be struck a cut-away portion on the sheet is arranged in line with the particular finger controlling the particular key or string adapted when struck to produce that note. Each finger I) is secured to the frame it near the latters pivot and extends forwardly through an orifice in the bracket 1:, thence extending forwardly and downwardly through an orifice near the extreme free end of the finger-frame. The fingers b are light and elastic and tend to press downwardly against the moving musicsheet, so as to make certain contact with the cut-away portions. Beneath the ends of the fingers b the music sheet passes over the smooth curved top of a cross-piece w, thus preventing any vertical oscillation of the sheet at the point where it is engaged by the fingers b.

0 c are fingers secured to the cross-piece w and extending upwardly and contacting with the long cut-away strips 2 2. The fingers c are electrically connected with a battery 11. The fingers b are electrically connected with magnets y, there being one magnet for each finger. The battery is electrically connected with each magnet. When any finger 5 engages one of the cut-away portions 1, the battery-circuit is closed, the current passing from the battery to fingers c, thence through the metal body of the music-sheet, finger 7), corresponding magnet y, and back to the battery. When any magnet is excited, it attracts its armature, which is connected with one of the keys or strings of the instrument. The particular mechanism connecting the magnets and the musical instrument to be operated is not shown, as it forms no part of my invention.

- (Z is a finger secured to the cross-piece w and extending upwardly and contacting with the music-sheet and in line of travel of the cutaway portions 3, 4, and 5. A cut-away portion 3, 4, or 5 is provided at the end of the notes of a tune, and if there is more than one tune one of these cut-away portions is placed at the end of the notes of each tune. 1n the drawings I have shown a sheet, partially broken away, that is supposed to contain the notes of three tunes, and three cut-away portions 3, 4, and 5 are therefore provided. The object of these cut-away portions is to stop the machine at the end of each tune. To this end I provide in the circuit of the motor 8 a cut-out switch 9, forming the armature of a magnet 2, one pole of the magnet being connected with the battery 00 and the other pole with the finger d. When the finger cl contacts with either of the cut-away portions 3. 4, and 5, the circuit is closed, the current passing from the battery :0 to fingers c, to strip 2, through the metal body of the musicsheet, to cut-away portion 3, 4, or 5, to finger cl, to magnet z, and thence back to the battery in, thereby exciting the magnet and opening the cut-out switch 9, thereby stopping the motor 8 and the machine. This feature is especially applicable to slot-machines, in which the motor-circuit is automatically opened at the end of each tune. The machine is started by again closing the switch 9 by hand or by any well-known automatic mechanism, such as is employed in slot-machines.

e f are fingers secured to the cross-piece w and extending upwardly and contacting with the music-sheet and in line of travel of the cut-away portions 6 and 7, respectively, the function and operation of which is hereinafter described.

The mechanism for operating the rolls 9 and h is as follows: 11 is the shaft of motor 8. 12 and 13 are pulleys on the motor-shaft. 14 is a tilting frame pivoted on the motorshaft. 20 is a shaft journaled near one end of frame 14, said shaft carrying the pulley 21 and gear 22. 30 is a shaft journaled near the other end of frame 14, said shaft carrying the pulley 31 and gear 32. The pulley 21 is connected through a belt 23 with the pulley 12, and the pulley 31 is connected through a down and the opposite end drawn up. In the drawings the end of thetilting frame carrying the shaft 30 is drawn down, thus holding the gear 32 in engagement with the gear 60 on the shaft 0. When the opposite end of the tilting frame, is drawn down, the gear 32 is moved out of engagement with the gear 60, and the gear 22 is moved into engagementv with the gear 50 on the shaft 2'. It-wi1l be understood that by controlling the circuit to the ma'gnetsf40 and41 either the holding-roll 2 g or the take-up roll it may be actuated. To.

this "end fingere is electrically connected with double magnet 40 and finger :f with double magnet 41.

When the music-sheet is nearly entirely unwound from the holding-roll g and the fingers b have passed over the last of, the notes on the upper surface of the music-sheet,

the finger f contacts with the cut-away portion' 7 and the following circuit is established:

from the battery to fingers 0, cut-away strips 2 2, through'the conducting-body of the music- 'sheet, to cut-away portion 7, finger f, mag:

netv 40,v and to the battery, thereby moving down the end of the tilting frame, carrying the shaft 20, moving gear 32 out of engagement with the gear 60, and moving-gear 22 into engagement with the gear 50' on the shaft 7;, thereby imparting rotation to the holding-- roll g and rewinding the music-sheet thereon. The rewinding continues until the music sheet is nearly entirely unwound from the take-up roll it, whereupon the finger 6 contacts with the cut-away portion 6 and the following circuit is established; from the battery to fingers 0, cut-away strips 2 2, through the conducting-body ofthe music-sheet to cut-away portion 6, finger e to magnet 41 and to the battery, therebymoving down the end of the tilting frame carrying the shaft 30, moving.

gear 22 out of engagement with the gear 50, and moving gear 32 into engagement with the gear 60 on the shaft 0, thereby again imparting rotation to the take up roll h. The music-sheet now again feeds forward a short distance until finger 0? contacts with the cutaway portion 5, thereby causing the motorcircuit-cut-out switch 9 to be opened and the machine to stop, as before described.

Itwill be observed that the sizes of pulleys 12, 13, 21, and 31 and gears 22,- 32, 50, and '60 are so proportioned that the rewinding operation is a comparatively very rapid one.

In order to insure maintaining the tilting frame 14 in either of its two positions, I have formed on one end thereof two, notches 71 and 73, one or the other of which is adapted to be engaged by the cam-head of a spring 7 2, secured to the frame of'the machine.

As the frame 14 is tilting to place the holding-roll into driven engagement an arm 80, secured to the frame 14, engages the fingerframe it and raises it so as to raise the fingers I) out of engagement with the music-sheet and hold them outof contact with the music sheet until the latter is rewound. At the same time the finger 61 is depressed out of engagement with the music-sheet by the following means: The end of the finger is. curved to form a hook, through which extends a bar 81. 82 is ashaft pivoted in the side members of the frame. 83is a lever secured between its ends to the shaft 82 and connected by means of links 84and 85 with one end of the bar 81 and the arm 80, respectively.

81. As the arm 80 rises, through'the mechanism just described, the flexible end of fin ger d is drawn down out of contact with the music-sheet.

I do not herein lay claim to the music-sheet parse, as the same forms the subject-matter 1 faseparate divisional application, SerialNo. 184,395, filed December 9, 1903. So far as concerns the invention claimed herein I donot limit myself to a music-sheet having the cut-away notes 1 on one side and the cutaway portions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 .on the other side, as specifically described. Any of the, cut-away portions may be placed on either side or the sheet may be insulated on one side only and all the cut-away portions arranged on that side; nor do I lay claim herein to,

the mechanical construction of the feeding, stopping, and reversing mechanisms, as the same forms the subject-matter of a separate divisional application, Serial No. 184,394, filed December 9, 1903. So far asconcerns the in- 86 is a connection from the shaft 82 to the other end of the bar,

vention claimed herein the mechanical construction of these parts may be substantially changed without departing from the invention claimed herein. 1

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, witl a music-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material hav ing an insulated surface on both sides, said insulation being cut away to form notes and also being cut away on one side to form a continuous contact-strip extending lengthwise of the sheet, of fingers engaging the notes, a finger constantly engaging the-'contact-strip during the playing operation, anelectric circuit including said fingers, and a key-actu-.

ating device also. included in said circuit.

2. The combination, with a music-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface cut away to form one or more cut-away portions, of a finger 0 constantly engaging the conducting-bod y during the playing operation, a finger (Z engaging the insulated surface but in line of movement of said cut-away portion or portions, driving mechanism to feed said sheet, means controlling the stopping of the driving mechanism, an electric circuit including said fingers, and a device in said circuit adapted to actuate said stop-controlling means.

3. The combination, with a music-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface cut away to form one or more cut-away portions, of a finger 0 constantly engaging the conducting-body during the playing operation, a finger [Z engaging the insulated surface but in line of movement of said cut-away portion or portions, a motor, driving connections from the motor to the sheet, an electric circuit including the motor, a switch in said circuit, a magnet in proximity to said switch, and an electric circuit including said magnet, the opposite poles of the magnetcircuit being connected respectively with said fingers.

. 4. The combination, with amusic-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface cut away to form a contact-piece near one end of the sheet, of a finger 0 constantly engaging the conductingbody during the playing operation, a finger e engaging the insulated surface but in line of movement of said contact-piece, driving mechanism to feed said sheet, means connected with the driving mechanism for reversing the direction of said feed, an electric circuit including said fingers, and a device in said circuit adapted to actuate said reversing means.

5. The combination, with a music-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface cut away to form a contactpiece near one end of the sheet, of a finger c constantly engaging the conductingbody during the playing operation, a finger e engaging the insulated surface but in line of movement of said contact-piece, a roll upon which said sheet is adapted to wind, a gear on the shaft of said roll, a motor, a tilting frame, a gear carried thereby, the last-named gear being moved into or out of engagement with the first-named gear by the tilting of said frame in one direction or the other, a magnet adapted to tilt said frame, and an electric circuit including said magnet, the opposite poles of said circuit being connected respectively with said fingers.

6. The combination, with a music-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface cut away to form notes, and one or more additional cut-away portions, of fingers Z) adapted to engage the notes, a linger a constantly engaging the conducting-body during the playing operation, a finger (Z in line of movement of the said additional cut-away portion 01' portions, driving mechanism to feed said sheet, means controlling the stopping of the driving mechanism, an electric circuit including said fingers b and c, a key-actuating device included in said circuit, an electric circuit including said fingers c and (Z, and a device in the last-named circuit adapted to actuate said stop-controlling means.

7. The combination, with amusic-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface in which the insulation is cut away to form notes, and acontactpiece near one end of the sheet, of fingers 7/ adapted to engage the notes, a finger 0 constantly engaging the conducting-body during the playing operation, and a finger c engaging the insulated surface but in line of travel of said contact-piece, driving mechanism to feed said sheet, means connected with the driving mechanism for reversing the direction of said feed, an electric circuit including said fingers 5 and c, a key-actuating device in said circuit, an electric circuit including said fingers c and e, and a device in the last-named circuit adapted to actuate said reversing means.

8. The combination, of a music-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface cut away to form one or more cut-away portions, and a contactpiece near one end of the sheet, of fingers (Z and e engaging the insulated surface but in line of travel respectively with the cut-away portions and the contactpiece, a finger 0 constantly engaging the conducting-body during the playing operation, driving mechanism to feed said sheet, means controlling the stopping of the driving mechanism, means connected with the driving mechanism for reversing the direction of said feed, an electric circuit including said fingers c and (Z, adevice in said circuit adapted to actuate said stopcontrolling means, an electric circuit including said fingers 0 and e, and a device in the last-named circuit adapted to actuate said reversing means.

9. The combination, with a music-sheet consisting of a body of conducting material having an insulated surface in which the insulation is cut away to form notes, a continuous contact-strip, one or more additional cut-away portions, and a contact-piece near one end of the sheet, of fingers 5 adapted to engage the notes, fingers (Z and c engaging the insulated surface but in line of travel respectively with the cut-away portions and the contact-piece, a finger 0 constantly engaging the continuous strip during the playing operation, driving mechanism to feed said sheet, means controlling the stopping and starting of the driving mechanism, means connected with the driving mechanism for reversing the direction of said feed, an electric circuit including said fingers 7) and c, a key-actuating device in said circuit, a second electric circuit including said fingers ICC 0 and d, a device in said second circuit adaptunto set my hand at Philadelphia on this 20th ed to actuate said stopping and starting conday of July, 1903. trolling means, a third electric circuit includ ing said fingers 0 and e, and a device in the 5 last-named circuit adapted to actuate said re- Witnesses:

versing means M. F. ELLIs,

In testimony of Which invention I have here- M. M. HAMILTON.

CHARLES A. SHAFFER. 

